Seashells
by FawnTheFox
Summary: "I heard a rumor you and Dragon are suddenly thick as thieves?" Whitebeard told his old friend Rodger. It had been a while since they last talked but the recent news had caught him off guard. "Nope, we still hate each other but our kids are best friends so we have to put up with one another." He said angerly. Ficlets of Rodger and Dragon putting aside their rivalry for their kids.


**Summary: "I heard a rumor you and Dragon are suddenly thick as thieves?" Whitebeard told his old friend Rodger. It had been a while since they last talked but the recent news had caught him of guard.**

"**Nope, we still hate each other but our kids are best friends so we have to put up with one another." He told him begrudgingly.**

**Ficlets of Rodger and Dragon putting aside their rivalry so their kids can grow up together. Modern AU reincarnation. **

**XXX**

**So this story takes place in a modern AU world. The characters, at least the adults remember their past lives. The kids just want to have fun. But they realize to some extent they had past memories together. **

**Yes I know it's an incredibly dumb idea. No I didn't give it a lot of thought and Yes I probably will take it down next week when I get some sleep and realize how stupid it is. But until then class is killing me, I'm barley staving off a breakdown and I **_**need **_**the fluffiness otherwise I am going to start crying in the library and it's not going to be pretty. **

**XXX**

**Ace- nearly five years old, Luffy one year and some odd months old **

"I heard a rumor you and Dragon are suddenly thick as thieves?" Whitebeard greeted his old friend Rodger as the man pulled up a seat next to him. It had been a while since they last talked but the recent news had caught him of guard.

Rodger put up his finger, gesturing to the barmaid that he wanted a drink.

"Nope, we still hate each other but our kids are best friends so we have to put up with one another." He told him begrudgingly.

Whitebeard laughed at that, a booming sound. "That's right they were weren't they?" He had forgotten.

"How's Ace?"

"Fine," Rodger said as a cup of ale was slid across the counter to him. He accepted it graciously taking a drink.

"Come see him anytime. Bit of a spitfire. Not the friendliest kid but he sure is cute."

"Losing his mother was tough on him." Whitebeard sympathized.

"I'll drink to that," Rodger said bitterly raising his glass in the air in a silent prayer for her.

"Maybe you can use this time to mend some broken fences with Dragon."

"That asshole? Not likely."

"Your kids did it." The older man pointed out patiently.

"Yea but their…"

"Their what?"

"They make finger paintings together." Rodger told him taking a big sip of his drink. "Not exactly ground breaking stuff."

"More then you two can do together." Whitebeard said after a moment.

"What's it to you? Fine I'll talk to Dragon some time. But only for the kid's sake." He said annoyed by Whitebeards mirth.

**XXX**

Ace clapped his hands for the little toddler to come to him. And he did, crawling half the way before pushing himself up on unsteady legs as he walked over to Ace nearly falling over at the end. Ace steadied him before patting him on his head in silent acknowledgment of a good job. The kid laughed in amusement.

He moved away again, further this time. Luffy however wasn't disappointed as he took the challenge to heart and once more toddled his way across the floor to Ace's steadying arms.

Luffy made a noise of content as he patted Ace's arm with his fist, telling the other boy in his own way he was doing a good job as Luffy's personal human handrail.

Ace let him go so he could totter off again, only making it a few steps before sinking back to his hands and knees to crawl across the floor with much more grace then he ever had walking. Unsurprisingly he went to the kitchen first waiting impatiently in front of the fridge until Ace caught up. It wasn't hard to guess what he wanted.

"Later," He said bending down to pick him up. It had been raining all week, today was the first sunny day and he wanted to enjoy it.

Luffy whined as his feet left the ground. He batted a hand over Ace's shoulder as if trying to reach the fridge and food but the child ignored him. At barley past a year Luffy didn't have a whole lot of say in anything. But he was nothing if not stubborn. He wiggled in Ace's arms to be let down so he could crawl back to the food source.

"Don't be a brat." Ace warned as he opened the back door greeting the sunlight with a rare smile. "See, look how nice it is."

Luffy, distracted form his stomach by the warmth smiled as he once again started wiggling to be let down. Only this time it was to crawl around in the grass. Ace let him watching him go across the yard occasionally stopping to put something in his mouth.

With Luffy fully entertained he sat down in the grass himself leaning back on his palms as the sunlight hit his clothes. The grass was still damp from all the rain but he didn't care. He used to see a lot more of Luffy before preschool started but now that he was old enough he spent most of his days there. Ace was what people affectionately referred to as a latch-key kid in training. Which most people viewed as a bad thing but he appreciated the independence. Usually afterwards instead of going home he headed here to play with the happy go lucky infant who always appreciated his visits.

He watched Luffy crawl after a butterfly, sniff some grass and eat a caterpillar he found before making his way back to Ace. He laid down on his leg tired from the exploring he had done. Ace let him in an unusual show of tolerance whereas he would usually just push him away.

"Okay but only for today," He told him seriously. Luffy, unaware of what Ace was saying ignored him to snuggle into his side. Happy to enjoy the sunshine for now.

The older boy meant to get up a few minutes later but with the warmth above them and soft grass below his narcolepsy kicked in and he was out before he even realized what was happening.

When he woke up, hours later the sun had begun to sink in the sky. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes looking down at the toddler who had fallen asleep as well. It had been the loud groaning of his stomach that had woken him up.

The sound of the back door sliding open told him that he wasn't alone. He turned to see Luffy's dad standing on the deck. Ace pushed Luffy off of him none to gently under the man's gaze. He didn't like to encourage affection. He thought it set a bad example for Luffy who was already clingy. Dragon told him that it was because he was still just a baby and that Ace was sounding worryingly like Garp.

"Your dad wants you to come back before it gets dark." He told him as Ace picked up Luffy, who had miraculously not woken up at the push.

"You'll get home okay?" He asked as Ace made his way back onto the deck, handing Luffy off to his father as they came inside.

Ace didn't answer. He only grabbed his backpack from where he had left it hours earlier on the floor.

"Bye-Bye-spoon." Luffy babbled sleepily as he snuggled into Dragons hold.

"Spoon?"

"It's what he thinks my name is." Ace told him.

**XXX**

"And there is my favorite honorary grandson!" Garp greeted enthusiastically as he opened the door to see the kid and his father.

"You're here?" Ace asked much less enthusiastic at the idea of a weekend with the crazy old man.

"Wouldn't have come if you knew it was me?" He teased.

"Probably not." Ace agreed

"Be nice!" His father reminded him. Ace was nothing if not blunt. Maybe it was time to start teaching him manners. Although that wasn't anyone's specialty in either family so it was probably alright.

Garp laughed at that. He thought Ace's mannerisms were hilarious. Rodger had to give it to the man. After all that time he still held a soft spot for the kid. Even though he wasn't his grandkid he never failed to treat him as if he was. It just confirmed what Rodger always knew, that the crazy old man was a really good person.

"Luffy look who it is!" Garp called even though he knew the kid didn't understand him. He came back a few moments later holding the baby who yelled in delight at the sight of Ace.

"SPOON!" He screamed wiggling in his grandfather's grip demanding to be set down. The man complied, putting Luffy down on his feet as he made his way over to the older boy. A surprising distance.

"Furthest yet," Garp said.

"He's getting better all the time." Rodger commented as Ace knelt down to catch Luffy as he stumbled on the last step.

"Spoon!" Luffy said oblivious to the men's praise.

Ace put his hand on Luffy's head. "You need to try harder." He told him honestly causing both men behind him to break into fits of laughter despite his annoyance.

Ace's praise was few and far in between. It was an endless source of amusement for them. Unlike Rodger the kid took everything seriously. He was just a serious kid in general. But especially when it came to Luffy. Without any direction from anyone Ace had taken it upon himself to help Luffy first crawl, then walk and talk. While Dragon didn't particularly care when Luffy figured it out, as he saw no hurry to rush development Ace disagreed. Whenever Luffy exceeded his expectations or broke a new record Ace would give him a small nod, subtly letting the infant know he had done well. But not too well.

Garp had explained, while laughing, that it was just how Ace was. He didn't believe in positive reinforcement. He would lighten up as he got older though. Still rain or shine he always made time to come visit Luffy. Even if the baby wasn't very good company yet.

"How long do you want us to keep him?" Garp asked as they watched Luffy become transfixed with toy blocks on the floor.

"Depends how long Dragon is out of town on business." Which was the only reason he had come with Ace to drop him off. Rodger had said before, and still stood by, that he liked Dragons kid more then he liked Dragon. Garp had wholeheartedly agreed, only he added that he liked both their kids more then he liked them.

"You're a happy little wiggle-worm aren't you!" Garp praised Luffy who screamed with laughter at the attention. As much as Ace was a serious kid Luffy was a loud and expressive kid. Which was why they balanced each other out so well.

"Speaking of which does my memory fail me or is it your birthday soon Ace?"

Ace just shrugged not bothering to look up from his spot on the carpet. He was helping Luffy stack the blocks on top of each other.

"Are you doing anything special?"

Ace shook his head, determined to finish the block tower and avoid the looks of his god father. When it was a few block high he knocked it over amusing Luffy to no end as he screamed in joy, drowning out any further questions.

"Smart kid." Garp mused. He always forgot how devious Ace could be when he wanted to. They both knew how much he detested his birthday.

They watched for a moment as Ace built up the blocks and Luffy knocked them down. Thrilled each time they fell.

"He sure is easily amused."

"All kids his age are."

"Ace wasn't." He said as both of them laughed. Ace continued to ignore them only proving their point even more.

"See you in two days kiddo."

"Bye," The child said without looking up from what he was doing.

"Luffy say bye to spoons dad." Garp told Luffy who perked up at his name.

"Bye-bye."

**XXX**

**Yep short chapter (quite possibly non-existent chapter this weekend). I wanted to make it longer but I shouldn't have even written this much I should have been studying. In theory the rest is just more shots about the two as they get older. If people want it I might write it. But I have my work cut out for me as is with my other stories I shouldn't be undertaking one as weird as this one. Anywho I hope someone might like it. It sure gave me a nice break from stress induced hysteria. **


End file.
